


The storm will pass

by turnkeyAssurance



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, vague mentions of battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:00:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25850245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/turnkeyAssurance/pseuds/turnkeyAssurance
Summary: It had been a long time since Caduceus felt this small and yet safe.
Relationships: Caduceus Clay/Fjord
Comments: 4
Kudos: 87





	The storm will pass

It had been a long time since Caduceus felt this small and yet safe. He actually had been very small then.

A storm had broken loose over the grove. By coincidence his entire family had been home. They had weathered it all together in a cuddle pile, Caduceus and Clarabelle in the middle. He had felt safe cradled by his family. At moments the thunder roared through the sky. But it was always followed by the calming scent of a forest after the first rain.

Caleb would later mention that they call that smell petrichor. Caduceus liked that word. It was a good word.

His mother had whispered to him that the Wildmother had sent that smell over. As a promise. That the storm would pass. That everything would be alright.

Caduceus had fallen asleep like that. Held tight by his family, the smell of rain in his nose, the roar of thunder in his ears.

He had felt safe then.

He felt small now.

Now he had the smell of a damp forgotten corridor in his nose. Instead of rain dripping from the roof he heard his blood dripping on the floor. Instead of thunder Fjord's voice roared through the sky. Not only Fjord's voice. He heard the rest of the Nein, all of them in battle. All of them angry.

Caduceus was held tight. He was clutched securely to Fjord's chest who seemed to tower over him. Healing washed over him like a wave. The smell of the sea followed. It felt as a promise.

"Caduceus?! Are you alright?" Fjord's voice, with the clearest undertone of panic Caduceus had heard in a while. He clumsily reached up to pat Fjord on the back. Something in him longed to soothe, to comfort. The storm would pass.

"I'm better," said Caduceus looking up bleary-eyed. Saying he was fine felt as a lie. His arm fell down, still around Fjord's waist.

"Thank the Wildmother," whispered Fjord. He cradled Caduceus closer, dropping a relieved kiss on his forehead.

Caduceus raised his head on instinct, trying to softly kiss back. His attempt ended on Fjord's chin, instead of his lips. They stayed like that for a moment, just breathing each other in. Fjord smelled like the sea.

"Can you get... Excuse me one moment. _Eldritch blast!_ Sorry about that, can you get up?" 

Caduceus placed his his hand and tried to push up. His elbow immediately buckled and he fell back in Fjord's lap. He shook his head.

"I'm sorry, no. I tried. I'm tired," Caduceus still tried again to get up. In the distance something screeched and Fjord dropped over Caduceus, covering him and still clutching him close. 

"It's okay. it's okay," rambled Fjord. He looked up towards the rest of the party. "It really is okay. They're on the last one. Beau and Yasha are very enthusiastically beating the shit out of that thing."

Caduceus couldn't help the soft laugh. "They are good at that."

"They are," he agreed. Fjord sat up, carefully rearranging Caduceus so he could lay comfortably. Caduceus turned, nuzzling his nose in Fjord's stomach.

"It'll be fine," said Fjord, carding his hand through Caduceus his hair. "Jester is on her way. You can rest."

Caduceus fell asleep like that, exhausted. Held tight by Fjord, the smell of the sea in his nose, the approaching footsteps of Jester in his ears. 

He felt safe. 


End file.
